Mirrors Truth
by Samhain. Necropolis
Summary: Katara sat in front of the mirror with a hand on her swollen stomach. Before her was the Mirror of Truth, the mirror that will show anybody their future. She smiled in confidence, knowing she'd see a happy life Aang and their children. She quickly looked into the mirror and saw the exact opposite. (based off a picture I found, credit to them, and a synopsis in the story)
1. Synopsis

Summary:

Katara is experiencing weird things during her pregnancy, things that just don't happen to Water Tribe women. As the days go on things start to get worse, but Katara tries to hide it from her loving husband. She begins to feel extreme pain, pain strong enough to make her black out. Her stomach is unusually warm and the baby won't stop kicking her. Even worse, she's not having the dreams she's supposed to at 4 months pregnant. Hiding it from the rest of her people is growing more and more difficult. Then Zuko shows up and everything goes down the drain as Katara begins to dream. Then, as Katara begins to realize what is happening, Zuko reveals why he showed up.

A Mirror, a mirror that shows any one a brief moment of their future life. He claims to have found it and wants the gAang to take a look into the future. Katara fears of what she will find, but when Aang and Zuko reassure her Katara takes a dive into. Confident in what she will find, she finds the exact opposite. An opposite she refuses to tell anybody, Gran-Gran and Suki included.


	2. Chapter 1

Katara woke with the sun, again, for third time this month. She recently reached her fourth month of pregnancy and since then she had been awakening as soon as the sun peeked above the snow covered Ice Mountains. She cursed at the child brewing in her stomach and got up only to feel the little kick at her ribs, she grabbed her side and breathed slowly, hoping not to wake Gran-Gran and Katara's sleeping husband. She walked out of hut only to see Suki waddling from her hut also, her 8 month pregnant stomach huge with Sokka's kid. Katara waved hoping her sister would see her in the dim morning light, or over her layers of clothing. It made the family giggle that Suki hadn't yet become accustomed to the searing cold of the South and that she even complained about missing her tropical home on Kyoshi island.

"Katara" Suki said loudly but quiet enough not to wake the tiny village. Katara held her back and met her friend halfway. She smiled and looked at Suki's pink glowing cheeks and her dark hair that framed her face.

"How did you sleep?" Katara asked kindly hoping Suki was having a much better pregnancy than she was.

"I slept well, but I don't think Sokka did," Suki took a moment to laugh at the memory, "I took over the bed and he slept in the snow." Both of the girls laughed this time, the image of Sokka hugging himself, his growing beard thick with snow. Sokka was very careful with Suki often by her side, rushing to it when she even breathed differently. He was a careful father and Gran-Gran said it reminded her of Hakoda when her daughter was pregnant, always worrying over the unborn children. "Did you?" Suki asked once she regained her breath.

"Not really, my child has become so rowdy" Katara laughed and put a hand up to her stomach feeling the unusual warmth of her womb.

"Didn't your Grandmother say that it was most unusual for a Water Tribe child?" Suki tried to recall that day. It was hazy considering she had gotten morning sickness for the first time and Sokka was fussing over her, convinced Suki was going to die.

"Yes, but since we don't know much about my husband's families pregnancy, we assume it will be like it's dad" Katara laughed and felt the baby kick once more at her side. She yelped as the heat increased and she fell to the ground.

"Katara!" Suki was down by her side, pushing back her hair. Katara winced as the kid, again, kicked at her side. She cried out and Suki began to stroke Katara's hair, making her lie on her back. Some of the villagers heard the commotion and jumped from the huts, hoping it wasn't an attack. Once they realized it was just two pregnant women, the men went back inside and the women rushed to them.

"Are you okay?" One woman asked

"Is the baby hurting you?" A girl younger than Katara asked, grabbing her hand and squeezing. More questions poured in, the pregnant water tribe woman was in too much pain to answer. The questions kept coming until a booming voice broke through the female barrier.

"Stop! Can't you see that my wife is in pain" The voice hissed and she felt large hands grab her by the shoulders and hoisted her up gentle. Katara weakly smiled at her husband and collapsed into his strong arms, feeling safe.

"Sorry" came in many voices and the women walked away. Katara wrapped one arm under her husband's and walked unsteadily with him back to the hut. Once they were inside he sat her down on the bed and Gran-Gran looked wordily at the both of them. It was obvious she had just woken up and hadn't known of anything going on. Her face was twisted into an unnatural frown, her slender blue eyes swimming with a mixture of emotions.

"Get out" She insisted, looking at Katara's husband. He opened his mouth to protest but the elder narrowed her eyes further and began to rise, he lowered his head and walked out through the seal pelts. Gran-Gran stretched and motioned for Katara to lean back, which she kindly obeyed.

"What's wrong Gran-Gran?" Katara felt her eyebrows furrow naturally as the elder touched her now naked stomach. Gran-Gran turned to Katara and waited a moment as the baby kicked her hand with protest, a wave of heat drowning Katara.

"Your stomach is warm" She stated the obvious, Katara narrowed her eyes. She searched her grandmother's face for any hint of sarcasm, only to be stonewalled by a stoic face.

"Yes Gran-Gran, I know that" Katara added hastily only to receive a smack from the elder.

"You idiot. Your stomach is warm; water tribe children do not heat their mother's stomach in such a way. Nor are they this aggressive and by the way your husband acts his people's kids would just as docile as ours" Gran-Gran scolded her granddaughter, who stared in disbelief. Katara knew what was going on but she tried not to take much too it.

"Gran-Gran, I am very awa-" Katara started only to be cut off

"No, Katara, you're not aware of what is going on. You haven't told your husband and you refuse to believe. You're pretending to be so naïve, so oppressed, like a Northerner" Her grandmother spat, the hostility was so alien to Katara's ears, her grandmother never acted like this. Gran-Gran's face was very solid, accept for her eyes. They bore into Katara, darkened with the impending storm that had already hit land, the storm of truth.

"I'm sorry Gran-Gran" Katara felt the guilt boil inside of her and felt tears well up in her eyes. She hadn't really been aware and Gran-Gran's words chilled her to the bone. _Could this child really not be his? That has to be impossible-_ Katara's thoughts were interrupted when Gran-Gran spoke again.

"Have you had any naming dreams?" She asked smoothly and Katara started to think. She recalled when Suki had her first dream, she freaked out. She hadn't believed it when Sokka had warned her about the dreams that would come; Suki didn't believe in such old wives tales.

"No, it's so strange. I am married, my husband is with me each night, and I have had such an easy pregnancy until now" Katara felt something inside her stir, and it wasn't the baby. Naming dreams came around 4 months into the pregnancy, it was Tui and La beginning to deciding your baby's fate. These dreams only came to women who were around their child's father; they were even clearer when they were married.

"Katara, I want you to think about it. Maybe because of your husband's ability your child inherited some of his powers. Think about anyone else you may have had interaction with within the month of your conception" Gran-Gran's face softened as her granddaughter began to shake with sadness. Tears came unwillingly down Katara's face as she started to break down. Her husband burst into the hut and his huge smile disappeared.

"Katara?" He murmured, kneeling at her side. Katara cried more as she leaned into his chest, sobbing more.

"Just pregnancy moods" Gran-Gran laughed as she got up to start making breakfast. Sokka and Suki would be over soon to join them.

"Katara, are you okay my love?" He whispered kindly into her ear, stroking her wavy brown hair.

"Y-y-yes Aang" Katara stuttered and grabbed the thick cloth of her husband's coat, hoping to calm down. Aang scooped his wife up and began to rock back and forth, humming into her hair. Katara felt her eyes getting heavy from feeling the vibration of Aang's voice. The peace was interrupted by Sokka falling into the hut.

"Guys! Guess who came for a surprise visit!" Sokka said from the ground, his legs cast over his shoulders and back on the ground. They laughed as Suki started to help him up, which Sokka refused. He didn't want Suki doing anything besides walking, she was barely allowed to feed herself Sokka fussed that much.

"Roku?" Aang joked and Sokka narrowed his eyes before huffing and making a noise to the visitor outside. A black gloved hand appeared from behind the seal pelts and metal pointed boot made its way in.

"Zuko!" Aang and Katara said in unison as their scar faced friend peaked in. The Fire Lord gave a lopsided smile at his friends and looked straight at Katara's little belly. They had forgotten to tell him that she pregnant.

"Katara, you're….you're pregnant?" Those were the first word to come out Zuko's mouth since he had arrived into their hut. No hello or how are you, no explanation as to why he suddenly showed up. Katara narrowed her eyes and stood up walking over to the Fir Lord and motioning towards her stomach.

"Would you like to feel, to check" She snapped him, realizing this was the baby talking. Zuko nodded and placed a hand on her stomach. The warmth in her stomach grew and the baby slid its foot across Zuko's hand, his eyes grew wide and he looked at the soon to be mother. Both of their eyes were wide and the warmth got to the point where it was white hot pain, giving Katara black dots in her eyes. She fell back and Aang quickly caught her. Zuko stood there with his hand in the same place his honey amber eyes still wide.

"What did you do to Katara?!" Aang yelled and he attempted to move his wife to their bed. Sokka pushed past the frozen Fire Lord to help his sister. Suki was the only one to give Zuko some comfort, rubbing his upper back. The sensation caused by the pregnant warrior caused Zuko to snap back into reality, looking at Katara. She moaned in pain and Zuko saw the shape of what looked like a foot from under her exposed belly.

"Why is it so warm" Sokka said with some disgust in his voice, Katara made a gurgling noise, their eyes meeting. There was something different in Katara's eyes and annoyance wasn't it, it seemed like the baby had control over her. She cried out and when Aang went to touch her she hissed and pushed his hand away. Sokka reached for her legs to restrain her but she kicked and tried to claw him.

"Everyone out!" Gran-Gran yelled and Sokka quickly got up, grabbing Aang to. They walked over to the pelts and motioned for Zuko and Suki to come with, just as they turned Kanna coughed "Not you two, Suki, your vibe will calm her and Zuko, I need to speak with you" The elder narrowed her eyes at him. Zuko swallowed and made way across the hut.

"Help me" Her voice was weak as Katara reached for Suki, who quickly took her hand. Suki hummed and made cooing noises while stroking Katara's hair. For a moment only grunts and hums filled the hut, even outside was silent. Maybe the village had heard Katara and where sitting idly by, waiting to hear more about the Waterbender.

"Zuko," Kanna's voice came in strong, "What did you feel when you touched her stomach?" She narrowed her eyes further. Zuko swallowed and tried to find the words lost in his throat, his mouth becoming dry. The muscles in his arms tensed and it felt as if somebody had crushed him with a huge rock.

"A-A-F-f-foot" Zuko stuttered after a few moments of silence

"Did it kick you?" Kanna asked and Zuko shook his head, still at loss of words.

"It always kicks Aang, the only person that baby doesn't kick is Katara and I" Suki said her brows knit together on her face. Katara yelled out and grabbed her stomach again, she tried to sit up but the pain was too much.

" .warmed " Katara said between pants and cries of pain. Suki looked at Kanna whose eyes were closed; she let out a deep breath. Zuko was wondering what was going on but he couldn't find the words to do so. He guessed his wide eyes and agape mouth spoke for him, because Suki and Kanna began to converse.

"She has been complaining that her stomach burns her at times" Suki said in a low voice, in case the boys were eavesdropping.

"And she hasn't had pain this bad" Kanna added, rubbing her temples. Suki bit her lip hoping what she thought wasn't true. Zuko was confused as to what was going on; he began to return to his body.

"What is going on" Zuko said in a deep, raspy, voice causing all three women to look at him. "What is going on with Katara" His voice was louder this time as his patience began to wear thin. The two women hushed him and Kanna stood up, walking to her granddaughter.

"Katara has been undergoing some odd things since she hit her fourth month. Water tribe women tend to have a lower temperature when pregnant and they undergo easy pregnancy. We figured this was normal considering we have no way to find out more about Aang's women" Kanna started as she began to stroke her granddaughter's hair, in place of Suki.

"We didn't take much to it until she began rising with the sun and getting tired earlier in the night. I can barely get to sleep until the moon is at its peak," Suki laughed but continued to talk, "She also tends to get these bouts of increased heat when the baby kicks. She says it's only where the baby kicks to and not all around" Zuko felt himself tense at the description of Katara's problems. He looked her face then down to her stomach where the baby was. He noticed something odd on the side of her stomach, a dark spot. He pushed it all thinking that it was just a bruise from the aggressive baby inside of her.

"She hasn't been getting any dreams about the baby either. Usually women of ours should be getting name dreams. Things to signify their child give them hints of who their child will be" Kanna said smoothly as tears began to slip down Katara's face.

"I have and I'm not even from here" Suki popped attempting to lighten the mood, only to make it worse. Zuko opened his mouth but Katara's piercing scream interrupted him. He tensed as he noticed a red mark forming near the bruise he'd seen earlier. Suki and Kanna seemed to not have noticed the new mark on the Waterbender.

"What is that" Zuko said quickly after Katara stopped screaming and started to whimper. Suki followed his finger and ran her own along the dark mark, only to gasp.

"What?" Zuko and Kanna expressed at the same time. Zuko was now on his knees to peer close at the mark on Katara, only to see it's not a bruise. Instead the skin was black and parts of the skin began to rise and split. The jagged appearance of the skin screamed one thing,

"A burn" Suki whispered and Katara began to ball. She covered her eyes with her hands and Zuko felt his entire world spinning, he looked at the elder for help. Kanna casted her eyes downwards and let out a deep sigh, knowing her dreams were true. Tomorrow she'd tell the three young ones of the strange things she was seeing in her dreams. It was not uncommon for female family members in the Water Tribes to dream of the unborn child.

"I-I-I- have to go" Zuko said and abruptly ran out of the hut to his ship. He was lucky that his uncle hadn't gotten off yet, the old man insisted he come down with Zuko. Iroh would be greatly upset when he would receive the news, that they would be leaving at sundown. Zuko got onto the ship and ran into the corridors and burst into his uncle's room.

"What is it Nephew" Iroh said, his age catching up to him. His grey hair began to recede from his forehead and more wrinkles framed his mouth and eyes, skin sagging unnaturally. Zuko collapsed onto the ground and stared at the floor, his eyes wide. He felt the scar on his face and chest throb with pain he felt in his heart. _This couldn't be true, none of this could _Zuko insisted in his head, the thoughts began to race. His mind wondered in his memories, the memories he worked so hard to forget all those months and years ago. "Zuko?" His uncles voice came again, softer and closer this time. Zuko raised his upper body and looked his uncle straight in the eyes, tears threatening to escape.

"Tell me about Fire Nation pregnancies" Zuko demanded and received only a lone gasp from his uncle's mouth. Nothing was spoken from a moment until Iroh understood the nature of his Nephews unspoken situation.

"Alright nephew, sit down, I have much to tell you" Iroh sighed and returned to his table and his tea, ready to inform his naïve nephew.

**Whaaaaaaaaat! No way! How can this happen! OH MY GODDESS! Tui and La save us all!**

**Just kidding but I hope you like my little twist and money for the people that review and tell me what they think is going to happen next! (Please review though!)**

**So, about the baby. I understand that the whole "not kicking accept for a few people" may seem weird and/or unrealistic but my cousins kid did that. I would touch her stomach, or her brother, or someone else and the baby would not react, stop kicking, or kick harder. If she touched her stomach, her husband, or her mother then baby would move, drag his foot across her stomach, and such on. The day he was born he would kick the doctors, nurses, and any equipment they put on her stomach. This also happened with a couple of my friends, as told by their parents. It's weird, I don't like it, but it happens and it makes me very uncomfortable. I added to add extra emphasis to the plot! Please have mercy!**

**Peace, Love, Nirvana. Sahmain 3 **


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